Overhead trolley device



April 1940- s. s. MATTHES OVERHEAD TROLLEY DEVICE Filed June 16, 1938Inventor SAMUEL J. MUZHES A [lot ne y Patented Apr. 2, 194:0

UNITED STATES PATENTZY' OFFICE v 2,195,133 OVERHEAD TROLLEY DEVICESamuel S. Matthes, Mansfield, Ohio, assignor to f The Ohio BrassGompany, Mansfield, Ohio, a

corporation of New Jersey Application June 16, 1938, Serial No. 214,0397 construction, combination and relation of the parts herein describedand shown in the ac-- companying drawing.

In the drawing- Fig. l is a schematic view of my invention looking downupon the same.

Fig. 2 is a side view of an enlargedport'ion of my invention as laterdescribed.

Fig. 3 is a top View of Fig. 2. v Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of anotherportion of my invention as later described. Fig 5 isatopview of Fig. 4.

In the operation of trolley. buses there are two trolley wiresofopposite polarity whichare employed, and it is necessary to keep thesetwo polarities separated electrically and mechanically and at branch orturn-out points, this has beena considerable problem as it isnecessarytomaintain the overhead system in a predeterminedfixed '30relation in order to give the best operation of the buses.

I The necessity for such fixed relation is due to the fact that theytrolleyheads supportingthe current collectors, which engage the overheadsys- 35 tem, are independent of each other and are adapted to pivotuniversallyrelative to the trolley bus and, therefore, the overheadsystem must be such that it in itself and the elements making up thesystem will properlyguide thecurrent collector while the bus'is tree tomove laterally in either direction relative-to the overhead system.

Such requirements and operation is not .re-

quired in the case of so-called streetcar operation wherethe vehiclemoves along a fixed track, H

' at least not to the same extent.

My invention herein described. maybe employed not only in the operationof trolley buses but also in combination with the operation ofstreetcars, and in the lattercase the negative wire is usually groundedat the source of power while the positive wire is located above thetrack a on which the street car operates.

To attempt to connect the various overhead switches, crossings, hangers,etc., by trolley wires and maintain the elements in fixed relatiomis notonly very unsatisfactory from the operating standpoint but'it isexpensive to maintainthe parts. in a reasonably fixed relation, but bytying V .theswitches crossings, hangers, etc, together to l5 formasubstantially single, rigid unit, I am able to accomplish the resultsrequired. 7

My invention also includes electrically operated switches which maybecontrolled by the vehicle operator to either-pass straight through oralong 10 a main line or to take a branch line.

' As the requirements to be metimight be saidv to be almost legion, Iprefer to make the various parts forming my invention so that they aremore or less interchangeable, as for instance, various types ofelectrically operated. switches may be usedt'o meet various requirementsor the switches may be of hand operation, that is, operated by means ofa rope alongside of the pole; the angle which the branch makes withrespect to the main 0 line may vary thus requiring different switchpansyth'e curvature of ,the'turn' out may vary; the switch pans andotheriparts are required to take various sizes and styles of trolleywires and also the distance between theswitches themselves and betweenthe switches andcrossing may vary. Q In the invention" which I haveshownin the "drawing, there is'disclosed two spaced electricallyoperatedlswitches so arranged that they will opcrate with. power on andpower ofi and it is usualin this particular type of switch to have theswitch normally set'to guide the current 001- lector straightthrough-the switch and fpo-wer offf, that is, with the controller on thevehicle open, and 'in order-to move the switch to the* branch connectionto guide the current collector onto th'e branchor turn-out wirethevehicle'operator moves his controller to the power on position as thecollector crosses or passes through the switch. This's'etting, however,may be reversed; i I

In the embodiment disclosed, I employ elec-' trically operatedswitches Aand B provided with body or pan members land tongues E-andshown held inthe straight through position by. means of the springs 3. 'hlach pan isprovided with projecting arms 4, 5, and 6 by means'of which the*currentc'ollector is guided onto and ofi the pan.

The switches A and B 'areheld in spaced relation by means of insulatorsl and 5 and are also provided with pullofi lugs '9 to which supportingand strain wiresmay be attached. I To operate the switch tongues toturn-out position, I employ an electrically operated mechanism C whichcomprises a coil l0 and a. plunger H, the

latter being mechanically connected to the switch tongues 2. One end ofthe coil i0 is electrically connected to the pan l and the other end isin electrical connection with the trolley wire as later explained.

The crossing D is provided with a pan l2 and arms l3, l4, l5 and I6andis adapted to guide the current collector straight through thecrossing either in connection with the main wire or with the branchwire.

The ends of the arms on both the switches A and B and the crossing D.are provided with a U-shaped groove to receive the ends of fittings tobe attached thereto as further described.

The operation of the switches A and B herein disclosed requires thatsuch switches be insulated from the trolley wire excepting through thecoil l0 and connection I! thereto. a

To effect such insulation, I have shown in Figs. 2 and 3 somewhatenlarged views of the parts to meet such requirement. The end of thefrog is shown partially, and connected to the frog arm 6 is a livespacer l8 which has a tongue 19 at one end positioned in the groove ofthe arm 6 and held in place by the bolts 28, The spacer l8 has aU-shaped'groove 2! at the other end to receive the control insulator 22.i

The control insulator comprises an elongated bar 23 having one v endpositioned inthe groove 2| and insulated therefrom as shown at 24. Theinsulation may comprise sheet insulation as a part of the member l8 orof the member 23. The control insulator and live spacer are held inposition by means of bolts 25 which are insulated from one or both ofthe members I8 and 23 by bushing insulators. g

The other end of the control insulator 22 is arranged to be inserted inthe 'U-shape grooved end 26 of the trolley wire tip 2'! which is adaptedto receive and hold the main trolley wire 28 in place by the screws 29.

.The control insulator 22 is provided with detachable clips 30 and 3|with their inner ends adjacent but separated a small amount. The clip 3|is insulated from the member 23 but is electrically connected to: themember 18 by means of the jumper 32 or other appropriate means. The clip30 is electrically connected with the main trolley wire 28 as isevident; The member 23 is provided with the connecting lug 33 to receiveconductors. v

If the length of the pan will not give a'suflicient length of time toenergize the coil l0, then the length of the member 58 plus the lengthof the pan is made suflicient such that a trolley .bus

moving in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1 will be assured of asufficient time of contact of the collector in crossing the switch toenergize the C011 Iii and move the tongue. 2 if the operator wishes toalter the position thereof. The members l8 are not necessary if theswitches are sufliciently long in which case the'ends of the bar 23 areplaced in thegrooves of the arms 6 in insulated relation thereto.

Any, arcing which may occur as the curren collector moves along thesystem described'will take place between the clips 3! and 3! and thesehave been made relatively small, inexpensive and easily renewable whenburned.

To "further insulate the switches A and B from the trolley wire, thegrooved ends of the arms 4 and 5 are provided with adapter members 34which have tongues held in the groove of the arms by means of thebolts35 and insulated from .the arms by means of the insulation 36.

The adapter 34 of the arm 4 has a groove at one end in which ispositioned the tongue .3! of the trolley wire tip 38 in which ispositioned the end of the main trolley wire 39. Means 35' are providedfor securing the adapter and trolley wire tip together and also securingthe trolley wire in position.

In order to forego breaking the continuity of the trolley wires 28 and39, I provide a jumper 40 having its ends connected to the controlinsulator 22 and the adapter 34 respectively.

'The arm 5 of switch A is joined with the arm l5 of the crossing D bymeans of the rigid spacer 4! which comprises preferably an angle or Tbar of rolledsteel having one leg 42 arranged to guide the currentcollector along its lower edge and may be curved or used straight. Thevertical leg 42 of the angle-bar 4| is arranged to be connectedto agrooved end on the arm 55 and to fit the clevis end of an adapter 34which has the tongue end positioned in the arm 5 in the manner showninFigs. 4 and 5. The adapter 3G. is insulated from. the arm 5. It will beevident that the rigid spacer 4| will maintain its curvature due; to theconstruction of the angle bar.

The rigid spacer 44 has one end connected to the arm 5 of the switch Bby an adapter 34 in the same manner as the end of the spacer 5! isconnected to the end of the arm 5 of the switch A.

The other end of the spacer 44 is provided with a tongue 45 to which issecured the trolley wire tip 46 held in place by the bolts 41 and whichreceives and holds the end of the branch trolley wire 48. The latterdescribed end of the spacer 44 is held in position relative to thecrossing D by means of the insulated member 49 which is connected to atransverse bar 50 which is prelof a metal portion 52. I construct thespacer portion 52 of a rolled steel bar, the lower edge of which isadapted to guide a current collector. The other end of-the metal spacerportion 52 is connected to the grooved end of the arm 4 of the switch Bby means of an adapter 34 in the same manner as the spacer 4| and 44 areconnected to the arms 5.

I place around the switch B a jumper 53 which is connected to thecontrol insulator and the adapter respectively thus the spacer portion52 is energized of the same polarity as the main trolley wire 28 therebypermitting operation of the vehicle if it should come to rest with acurrent collector on the member 52. I

The arm I6 is provided with a trolley wire tip 54 to receive and holdthe branch trolley wire end 55 in electrically connected relation to thecrossing D.

To the clevis end of the arm M of the crossing D, I secure anotherinsulator 5E and to the other end of theinsulator 56 is attached atrolley wire tip 5'lcto receive and hold the main trolley wire end 58.-The insulators 5|. and 56 are sufficient to insulate to the. fullpotential used and keep the polarities safely separated. i

, In order to maintain proper spacing between the trolley wire 38 andthe crossing D, I use an insulator '59 which has one end Gil adjustablysecured to the crossing D and. the other end to a hanger 6| which isattachedto the trolley wire 39. Span wires 62 and B3 are connected tosupports which assist in suspending the parts and maintaining them inrelative longitudinal position.

The lower surface of practically all of the parts signs and the variousinsulationsthat the two polarities are thoroughly insulated from eachother, and if street cars are operating over the system, as forinstance, over the positive wire and if the switch A is set to thestraight through position and it is desired the car shall take thecurve, the operator will set his controller to power on position beforecrossing the spacer 22 and the switch'A which is the same procedure ascarried out by the bus operator under like circumstances.

In order to protect the coils ill from ual flow of current if thevehicles should stop withthe current collector on the spacers 4| and 44or} on 5| and the wire 39, I place the insulation necessary to maintainthe separation of the polarities, at or adjacent the ends of the frogs.The accessories on a street car or bus may at times draw a large volumeof current and this would pass through the coils ID if proper'insulatingprecautions were not used.

' A jumper 64 connects the two adapters 34 on each switch A and B.

By making the ends of the parts with grooves and tongues and.maintaining a standard throughout the line of parts, I am able tocombine the various parts to meet varying require- 45.

ments without unduly .multiplying the parts required.

a contin- As there are many modifications to which my invention issubject and which my disclosure will suggest to those skilled in theart, I wish to be limited only by my claims.

I claim:

1. A control device forming part of an overhead trolley wire'devicecomprising an elongated fiat bar of metal, insulating means positionedlongitudinally along the side faces of the bar adjacent one end thereof,openings transversely disposed to the longitudinal axis of the bar atone end of the oar to secure to the end of the bar another part of theoverhead device, the openings at the insulated end provided withinsulating bushings, apair of renewable clips at-. 'tached to the barto, guide a current collector,

one clip in"eleotrical contact'with the bar and v the other clipadjacent the insulated end of the bar and insulated therefrom by theaforesaid insulating means, the adjacent ends of the clips being soconstructed and spaced that a passing current collector will be inengagement with both clips at the same time and means electricallyconnected to the other end of the metal bar and having meansto receiveand hold a trolley wire.

2. A control device forming part of an overhead trolley wire devicecomprising an elongated receive means to secure the bar to another partof the trolley-wire device, insulation interposed between the'bar andthe last said means to insure the insulation of the said means andsaidanother part from the bar, means attached to bar of metal,insulating means positioned along 1 "the sides of one end of the bar,transverse open ings through the bar and insulating means to the otherend of the'bar in directelectrical confrom the bar, the adjacent ends ofthe clips being so arranged that a current collector passing across thedevice will at some period engage both clips. Y

4 SAMUEL S. MATTHES.

nection therewith, a'renewable clip electrically connected to the baradjacent the last said means and a renewable clip attached to the baradjacent the other end of the bar and insulated 40. l

